Is sugar the enemy? Or is it just misunderstood? In this episode of Your Diet Sucks Zoë and Kylee dive deep into the science and misconceptions behind sugar addiction, breaking down the science behind dopamine, deprivation, and diet culture.
Join us as we cut through the BS, debunk inflammatory headlines, and reclaim the middle ground between demonizing sugar and downing 591 Sour Patch Kids (Zoë!!). If you’ve ever felt guilty about a cupcake or been told to fear fruit, this one’s for you.
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Food isn’t the enemy, but dipsh*ts on TikTok might be. Find balance, embrace nuance, and eat the damn banana. 🍌
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1:07:18
New Year’s Resolutions: Why Your Goals Suck and How to Fix Them
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New Year, same unrealistic resolutions? Zoë and Kylee dive into the science, myths, and psychology behind habit formation—and why your January goals are destined to flop without a game plan. From ancient Babylonian promises to modern-day Quitters Day, we unpack the history of resolutions, the cognitive biases that sabotage them, and why you can’t willpower your way into a better life. Spoiler: It’s not about losing 20 pounds in 4 weeks or cutting out sugar forever.
Learn why SMART goals aren’t just a corporate buzzword and how to make resolutions that actually work (hint: be specific, not perfect). Whether you’re stuck in the cult of optimization or just trying to make it to February with your sanity intact, this episode will teach you how to build habits that last longer than a TikTok trend.
References:
https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/new-years-resolutions-statistics/
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/new-years#ancient-new-year-s-celebrations
https://www.forbes.com/sites/prudygourguechon/2019/01/01/why-you-should-ditch-depressing-new-years-resolutions-and-do-this-instead/
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1:09:01
New Year Listener Question Extravaganza!
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Sponsored by Microcosm Coaching and Fly Nutrition.
Happy New Year! It’s the season of crash diets and bad advice, so we’re here to cut through the noise with evidence-based answers to your nutrition questions.
In this episode, we’re covering:
How to pick the best protein powder (and why Kylee has a lot of opinions).
The secret to knowing if you’re eating enough without counting calories.
Tips for finding the right gel without losing your mind.
How to challenge bad diet advice when you hear it.
Does compression therapy actually work, or is it a scam?
How plant-based athletes can boost their ferritin levels.
And more listener questions!
Start your year off with smarter fueling and real talk—no BS, no quick fixes, just sustainable solutions that work.
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1:13:20
The Reality of Racing Weight
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Kylee and Zoë wade into the murky waters of "racing weight"—a concept that’s been messing with athletes’ heads since the early days of endurance sports. From ancient Greek wrestlers sweating it out in bathhouses to modern-day endurance athletes chewing gum to spit out extra grams (yes, that’s a thing), the obsession with weight and performance has a long, bizarre history.
We unpack the origins of this idea, critique the pseudoscience and harmful messaging it often comes with, and dig into why lighter doesn’t always mean faster. Along the way, we examine why weight has become such a fixation in endurance sports and how that obsession can derail not just your performance, but your overall health.
Whether you’ve been told you need to hit an “ideal weight” to perform your best, or you’re just curious about why athletes fixate on the scale, this episode is a deep dive into why chasing racing weight can do more harm than good. Spoiler alert: You’re more than your power-to-weight ratio.
Tune in for the history, the science, and the many reasons you don’t need a scale to measure your worth—or your speed. Plus, a surprising history lesson involving figs, bloodletting, and why we don’t recommend using Horny Goat Weed to prep for your next race.
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1:08:46
Are Superfoods Super?
Ask Kylee and Zoë Anything! We're looking for listener questions for an "Ask Us Anything" episode in the New Year!
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In this episode, Kylee and Zoë dive unpack the history of superfoods and why the term might have more to do with marketing than science (spoiler alert, I guess?). We debunk some popular superfood myths and examine the downsides of being hyper-reliant on any one food or ingredient when it comes to maximizing health and performance. Then, we walk through the foods with a strong base of evidence for improving athlete performance and adaptations.
Plus, some spicy takes about bananas. Checkmate, atheists!
Ireland